Peters Lake
Howard County, Missouri107 acresView mapDirections
Nutrients and algae sit mid-range for this region.
↑ up from D at the last regrade
- Eutrophic
- #1 of 2 in the county
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
Peters Lake in Howard County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.4 µg/L. Surface area: 107 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 82°F
- Max depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Area
- 107 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Watch Peters Lake’s letter
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Peters Lake is a 107-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Howard County, Missouri with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Howard County, Peters Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Missouri DNR, last sampled 2023-08-15. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Peters Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 19.4 µg/L. TSI 63. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 54 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Peters Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 82°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Peters Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~14 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 107 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Missouri has not published bathymetry for Peters Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Peters Lake (Fayette)Public
- D. C. Rogers Lake (Fayette Lake) (West)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fishing Peters Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.165 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -11.55 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8.15 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Peters Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fayette New City Lake Dam (completed 1961), built primarily for recreation on the TR-ADAMS FORK; earth-type dam, 33 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 107 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,059 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,889 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 895 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- CITY OF FAYETTE
All listed purposes: Recreation;Water Supply.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MO10130 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.1 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Howard County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Peters Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Howard County
Frequently asked questions about Peters Lake
Where is Peters Lake?
- Peters Lake is a lake in Howard County, Missouri. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Peters Lake?
- Peters Lake in Howard County, Missouri has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.4 µg/L. Surface area: 107 acres.
Is Peters Lake safe to swim in?
- The C is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Peters Lake?
- Peters Lake typically sits around 82°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Peters Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Peters Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 107 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Peters Lake?
- Peters Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Peters Lake (Fayette), D. C. Rogers Lake (Fayette Lake) (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Peters Lake across LakeQuality
More Missouri Lake Rankings
Other Grade C Lakes in Missouri
Eutrophic Lakes in Missouri
Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Univ. of Missouri, Columbia
UMC57 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Depth, Secchi disk in meters
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory